Senior Professional Practice Fellow
MusB (Griffith) Mmus in Vocal Pedagogy (Griffith)
Email arlie.mccormick@otago.ac.nz
Arlie McCormick is a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the School of Performing Arts at the University of Otago, where she coordinates MUSI 144/244/344 (Music Ensemble 1, 2, and 3) and specialises in contemporary and musical theatre voice. She holds a Master’s in Vocal Pedagogy from Griffith University and serves as President of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (He Wai Kōmako), advancing vocal education nationally.
An accomplished performer and vocal director, McCormick received an Otago Southland Theatre Award (OSTA) for her critically acclaimed performance in Mary Poppins. Her directing credits include Jersey Boys and The Addams Family, and she founded Pop Up Productions, staging works such as Heathers the Musical and Spring Awakening. As a soloist, she has performed with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and developed original theatrical works, including What’s It All About, Arlie?—a tribute to Burt Bacharach. Her career integrates academic scholarship, professional practice, and artistic innovation in vocal pedagogy and performance.
Teaching
- MUSI 143 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 1
- MUSI 243 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 2
- MUSI 343 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 3
- MUSI 140 Performance Studies 1
- MUSI 240 Performance Studies 2
- MUSI 340 Performance Studies 3
- MUSI 144 Music Ensemble 1
- MUSI 244 Music Ensemble 2
- MUSI 344 Music Ensemble 3
Contributing papers
Summer School papers
- MUSI 249/349 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How To Teach Contemporary Voice
- MUSI 260 Pop Vocals and Recording
Research expertise
- Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy
- New Musical Theatre: How to Navigate the challenges
- The Differences between Classical and Contemporary Voice set-up
- Singing in a Group: the benefits of singing together
Professional performance experience
- Featured Soloist with The Dunedin Symphony Orchestra ‘Simply the Best’- November 2025
- Brendon Chase ‘Elvis Show’ performing as his backing singer with the Oxo Cubans in Invercargill and Christchurch – December 2024
- Soloist in the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra ABBA Concert – November 2024
- What’s It All About Arlie? An Evening of Burt Bacharach and Friends at the Regent Theatre - October 2024
- Diva Show with Jackie Clarke at the Regent – April 2024
- Pop Up Productions ‘Spring Awakening’ at the Playhouse (Co-Owner, Producer and Performer) – November 2023
- Vocal Director for Musical Theatre Dunedin ‘Jersey Boys’ - May 2023
- Stop Go Lollipop – Corporate Band with various performances at The Town Hall
- Singer with Oxo Cubans July 2022 – present
- Vocal Director for Musical Theatre Dunedin season of ‘Jersey Boys’ – October 2022–May 2023
- Co-founder of ‘Pop Up Productions NZ’ and Musical Director for ‘Heathers the Musical’ April 2021
- Adelaide Fringe Festival, The Queensland Cabaret Festival and the Wonderland Festival Babushka Cabaret including a Queensland Tour of 'I Can Keep a Secret' and 'Dead' at the Judith Wright Centre Of Contemporary Arts in Brisbane.
Theatre credits
- Power Woman for the New Zealand Tour of Menopause the Musical
- Mary Poppins as the Bird Woman (Taieri Musical Society)
- Calamity Jane (Spotlight Theatre)
- I Love You You're Perfect Now Change (Mixed Company at La Boite Theatre)
- The Boy From Oz as Liza Minnelli (Savoyards)
- Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Harvest Rain Theatre Company)
- The 25 Project (Joymas Creative)
- Meredith in Batboy: The Musical (Underground Theatre)
- Award winning performance as Diana in Next To Normal (Spotlight Theatre)
Publications
Petersen, T. (concertmaster, first violin), du Plessis, H. (principal cello), McCormick, A. (singer), & Harrison, D. (guitar) (2025, 15 November). Dunedin Symphony Orchestra: Simply the Best, Dunedin Town Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance]. Performance
Martin, A. F. (director), Kalogeropoulou, S. (choreographer), & McCormick, A. (vocal director, production manager) (2021, 15-18 April). Heathers: The musical, presented by Pop Up Productions NZ, based on the film written by Daniel Waters, New New New Corporation Brewery, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance]. Performance
Kapohe, D. W. (soprano), Romano, T. (mezzo-soprano), McCormick, A. (vocalist), Thompson-Holloway, H. (vocalist), du Plessis, H. (cello), Dennis, T. (piano), & McGrath, T. (piano) (2021, 11 August). Music Programme Showcase: From Bach to Broadway, with classical and contemporary staff of the School of Performing Arts, works by Bach, Buchanan, Délibes, Bizet-Hammerstein, Mitchell, Bareilles, Brown, Wright/Frankel/Korie, and Sondheim, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance]. Performance
McCormick, A. (performer) (2016, 16 April). Opening of Tiffany & Co., with Epiphany Productions, The Orchard Residences, Singapore, Singapore. [Performance]. Performance
McCormick, A. (performer) (2014, 28 March - 12 April). Next to Normal, Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Australia. [Performance]. Performance